OMG, did you see what Aaron Carter did to himself?

[Guest]

On 11/8/2022 at 10:47 AM, WilliamM said:

Isn't that a bit disrespectful?

Just a little. I feel another song coming on...

 

[Guest]

On 11/7/2022 at 7:36 PM, Mercury said:

I think this is a harsh and insensitive response to anyone who struggles with addiction or mental health. Addiction is a disease...

While I agree that the response was rather harsh, I don't think one can assign a similar pathos from AC's death with, say, Alex Trebek's. Alex Trebek fought valiantly against his pancreatic cancer, but it's not as if he could one day stand up and say "I've decided I'm going to stop having pancreatic cancer!". It's a bit of a cop-out, in my view, to say "Well, it's just a disease, and there's nothing I can do about it." Yes, it's a disease, but I know tons of people who learn their lessons and stay sober. AC certainly had a good support system with which he could have chosen not to reject, and lots of interactions with people who were willing to help him. I feel bad for AC, but I can't say I admire him, as I do Alex Trebek, who also gave Los Angeles a wonderful park some of us sometimes walk our dogs in. 

https://mrca.ca.gov/parks/park-listing/trebek-open-space/

[+ sync]

Addiction is an elusive, relentless, chameleon-like predator.  It encompasses a massive spectrum of miseries (pharmaceuticals, alcohol, tobacco, over-eating, willful starvation, obsessive physical fitness goals, obsessive resistance to aging, among others).

Over my lifetime, having seen addiction close-up in relatives, friends, co-workers, as well as random strangers, my pity for them, and my thankfulness for not ever having had to deal with addiction myself tempers my judgements.

 

[+ WilliamM]

10 hours ago, Unicorn said:

While I agree that the response was rather harsh, I don't think one can assign a similar pathos from AC's death with, say, Alex Trebek's. Alex Trebek fought valiantly against his pancreatic cancer, but it's not as if he could one day stand up and say "I've decided I'm going to stop having pancreatic cancer!". It's a bit of a cop-out, in my view, to say "Well, it's just a disease, and there's nothing I can do about it." Yes, it's a disease, but I know tons of people who learn their lessons and stay sober. AC certainly had a good support system with which he could have chosen not to reject, and lots of interactions with people who were willing to help him. I feel bad for AC, but I can't say I admire him, as I do Alex Trebek, who also gave Los Angeles a wonderful park some of us sometimes walk our dogs in. 

https://mrca.ca.gov/parks/park-listing/trebek-open-space/

Aaron Carter was a well known cat person 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, sync said:

Addiction is an elusive, relentless, chameleon-like predator.  It encompasses a massive spectrum of miseries (pharmaceuticals, alcohol, tobacco, over-eating, willful starvation, obsessive physical fitness goals, obsessive resistance to aging, among others).

Over my lifetime, having seen addiction close-up in relatives, friends, co-workers, as well as random strangers, my pity for them, and my thankfulness for not ever having had to deal with addiction myself tempers my judgements.

 

I can't disagree with you there. So, who do you admire more? Those friends and relatives who work on staying sober, going to 12-step meetings, etc., or those who stay buzzed all of the time, steal from their friends and relatives, tattoo their faces, get physically and/or verbally aggressive towards others, and so on?

[+ purplekow]

On 11/7/2022 at 10:36 PM, Mercury said:

I Addiction is a disease that many battle with all their might, but the disease always finds it way back into their life not due to lack of effort. I’m sure addicts are well aware of the repercussions. 
 

. 

While some consider it so, and ICD 10 lists it as such, Addiction, for me  is not truly a disease. For me it is  a condition.  That is not to minimize the devastation of these conditions on those living with them and those surrounded by someone who does.  

Granted some people are genetically predisposed to having difficulties with alcohol or drug addiction.  Alcoholism definitely runs in families.  However, not all people with a genetic predisposition fall victim to the condition.   One can make the case that some are predisposed to all types of addictions, as evidenced by the disproportionate number of people who have gastric bypass surgery who go on to have gambling addictions, alcohol addictions and  drug addictions.  

Perhaps to some this is just semantics, but for me it helps clarify in my mind a situation which is caused from outside the person afflicted, disease and the other is a state of being of the person directly affected, condition. Conditions may lead to disease, cirrhosis for example.    

Consider,   One HAS cancer.  One IS an addict.  

Edited November 12, 2022 by purplekow

[+ WilliamM]

Apparently pancreatic cancer can be cured if caught very early. From my   first cousin's  diagnosis here in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, they waited a bit until his wife's relatives in  Allentown  agreed to step in. My cousin did have an operation, which was unsuccessful

Edited November 12, 2022 by WilliamM

[+ sync]

3 hours ago, Unicorn said:

I can't disagree with you there. So, who do you admire more? Those friends and relatives who work on staying sober, going to 12-step meetings, etc., or those who stay buzzed all of the time, steal from their friends and relatives, tattoo their faces, get physically and/or verbally aggressive towards others, and so on?

I don’t know to which posting you are responding.  My posting does not mention my admiring anyone.

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, sync said:

I don’t know to which posting you are responding.  My posting does not mention my admiring anyone.

I know. That's why I asked you. 😉 And, obviously, I was responding to the post I was quoting. That's how it works. 

 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Unicorn

[+ WilliamM]

5 hours ago, Unicorn said:

I can't disagree with you there. So, who do you admire more? Those friends and relatives who work on staying sober, going to 12-step meetings, etc., or those who stay buzzed all of the time, steal from their friends and relatives, tattoo their faces, get physically and/or verbally aggressive towards others, and so on?

"stay  buzzed all of the time, steal from their friends and relatives, tattoo their faces.."

 

I have known several people with serious addiction problems, especially guys serving in Kaiserslautern,Germany in the Winter  ,of 1973.

Buzzed all the time?  That's not how addiction works.

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by WilliamM

[ruminant]

4 hours ago, purplekow said:

Perhaps to some this is just semantics, but for me it helps clarify in my mind a situation which is caused from outside the person afflicted, disease and the other is a state of being of the person directly affected, condition. Conditions may lead to disease, cirrhosis for example.    

Consider,   One HAS cancer.  One IS an addict.

I understand this distinction. There's a social component to lethal addictions. I've seen it in my family. In a calmer world with fewer social stressors, many who succumb would live full lives. 

[MscleLovr]

I know nothing about Aaron Carter, but this thread caused me to read a little about him. I found that he had declared himself to be “California sober”. 
 

I read further on the meaning of that term. It’s used to describe people who give up their use of hard drugs and just continue to use marijuana. 
 

Given that marijuana nowadays is so much stronger than 40 years ago (when the majority of posters were undergraduates and presumably experimented), I’m staggered that continued use of marijuana can be considered “sober”.

[+ nycman]

12 hours ago, MscleLovr said:

I’m staggered that continued use of marijuana can be considered “sober”.

It’s not. 

If you use drugs…
any recreational drugs….
pot, alcohol, meth, heroin, cocaine, ketamine, etc…
you’re not sober….period.

Not shaming anyone, just stating facts. 
It’s like pregnancy….you either are…you or aren’t.

[BuffaloKyle]

He did not have a will despite being urged to by his attorney:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celebrity/aaron-carter-did-not-have-will-in-place-when-he-was-found-dead-in-his-lancaster-home/ar-AA143ZX9?OCID=ansmsnnews11

The article says though his estate isn't worth much as he would quickly spend whatever income he would make. Obviously not surprised as if you're financially well off you wouldn't be doing onlyfans and celebrity boxing. 

[+ WilliamM]

1 hour ago, BuffaloKyle said:

He did not have a will despite being urged to by his attorney:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celebrity/aaron-carter-did-not-have-will-in-place-when-he-was-found-dead-in-his-lancaster-home/ar-AA143ZX9?OCID=ansmsnnews11

The article says though his estate isn't worth much as he would quickly spend whatever income he would make. Obviously not surprised as if you're financially well off you wouldn't be doing onlyfans and celebrity boxing. 

So sad.

[+ WilliamM]

According  to Aaron Carter's  manager in The New York Post  Mr Carter was constantly attacked by cyber bullies and he just wasn't equiped  to fight back.  So glad to finally know